KUWAIT: A group photo taken during the inauguration ceremony of the Kuwait Theater Festival. - KUNA photos

KUWAIT: Minister of Information and Culture, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi said the 21st edition of Kuwait Theater Festival is a civilizational platform that contributes to the development of the cultural and theatrical movement in Kuwait. The festival opened on Wednesday under the patronage of Mutairi who doubles as Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL).

The minister said, in the inaugural speech read on his behalf by NCCAL Secretary-General Kamel Al-Abduljalil, that the event provides an opportunity for fostering the talents of a promising generation of young artists. "The theatrical movement in Kuwait saw a steady advancement over the past three decades with the number of troupes increasing remarkably particularly in the private sector," he said, adding, "We hold the founders of this movement in high esteem."

"NCCAL has been keen on resuming its activities, including the holding of this festival, soon after relaxation of the coronavirus restrictions, which signals our care for the theater role in analyzing the social issues and enriching the literary intellectual production," the minister affirmed.

NCCAL is setting out executive plans for issuing in the next year an encyclopedia for Kuwaiti theatrical works presented by local troupes in the 1960s and 1970s with a view to protecting their intellectual property and preserving the national cultural heritage, he revealed.

The agenda of festival features eight performances and a symposium dealing with the experimentalism in Kuwaiti theater and ethics in the festival, the minister added. The festival takes place at Al-Dasma Theater and the symposium will be hosted by Kaifan Theater on December 10. - KUNA